


Warmth

by lurkingspecter



Category: Portal (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Loneliness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-09
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-11-12 03:27:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11153274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lurkingspecter/pseuds/lurkingspecter
Summary: After Aperture, Chell finds a world without humans.





	Warmth

Chell saw a shadow move in the bushes and raised her gun. The big cats of the area, almost completely killed off by humans long ago, had made a comeback, and she had already had a close encounter with one. She peered through the underbrush, waiting for it to make the first move. There was a grunt and a whistle, wild and edged with pain. Not a mountain lion. She edged closer, her eyes adjusting to the shadows, and saw that it was a deer. It was kneeling on the ground and breathing heavily. When she got closer it tried to stand again, but it made another noise of pain and collapsed. There was an infected wound on its leg, oozing yellow puss.

She crouched down next to it, still holding the gun. The deer was young and bony, probably only a yearling. She hesitated, counting each jutting rib under its hide, and then put the gun back in its holster. She had food. There was no need to waste ammunition on such a small amount of meat.

She sat down next to it and put a hand out. It jerked away and tried to scramble deeper into the bushes, only to fall again. It lay back, defeated, and she put her hand on its flank. It shuddered under her touch but didn’t stir. She moved her fingers through its fur slowly. It was warm, unusually warm. It probably had a fever from the infection. Left untreated, it might die of this. She examined the leg with the wound. She had some vague idea that humans used to mash up leaves into a poultice and press them into cuts, but she didn’t know what leaves or how to press them. Instead she wiped away the puss and washed the wound out with water. The deer didn’t look much better afterwards—actually, it was trembling more—but this would have to do.

After she stroked its fur for a few minutes the trembling calmed down and it closed its eyes. She put her ear over its chest and listened to its rapid heartbeat. The warmth felt good, she had to admit. When was the last time that she had felt someone else’s body heat? She couldn’t remember.

She put her backpack to the side, made sure her gun was within easy reach, and laid down next to the deer. She pressed her forehead against its flank, threaded her fingers through its fur, and fell asleep with the sound of wheezing breath in her ears.

When she woke up the deer was gone, and she found it drinking at a nearby stream. New, tender scar tissue had started to form around the cut. It wouldn’t be able to run for a while, but given enough time and luck, it would be okay.

Chell put a hand on its head, allowing herself to appreciate the warmth for a few more seconds, and then set off through the forest again, on to the next abandoned town.


End file.
